Comey makes history as first former FBI director to face arraignment

Published October 8, 2025 7:00am ET



Former FBI Director James Comey will appear in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday to face charges of making a false statement to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding, a case that brings one of Washington’s most polarizing law enforcement figures back to the same district he once served, albeit under drastically different circumstances.

Comey, who once served as managing assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia’s Richmond Division, was indicted on Sept. 25 by U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, making him the first former FBI director to be criminally charged after leaving office. His arraignment, initially scheduled for Thursday, was moved up a day due to heightened security concerns, according to court filings.

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